Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A substrate processing method comprises: an execution step of executing the first processing for the plurality of substrates, and executing the second processing for the substrates having undergone the first processing; a recovery step of recovering the plurality of substrates having undergone the first processing and the second processing to the retraction chamber; a conditioning step of, after completion of the first processing for the last substrate among the plurality of substrates, loading a dummy substrate into the first processing chamber, executing the third processing for the dummy substrate, and unloading the dummy substrate from the first processing chamber; and a second execution step of, after the dummy substrate is unloaded from the first processing chamber in the conditioning step, loading the substrates recovered in the recovery step into the first processing chamber, and executing the third processing for the substrates loaded into the first processing chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a substrate processing method andsubstrate processing apparatus which can shorten the processing time.

2. Description of the Related Art

A substrate processing apparatus performs processing using dummysubstrates to condition the atmosphere in each chamber before and afterprocessing a product substrate. When, for example, a plurality ofproduct substrates are processed in each chamber in the order of chamberA→chamber B→chamber C, the same processing is repeated for each chamber.Thus, processing of transporting dummy substrates to condition theatmosphere is performed for each chamber before the first productsubstrate is processed and after the last product substrate isprocessed. Note that Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-153185, forexample, gives an example of such processing of conditioning theatmosphere using dummy substrates.

However, product substrates are often processed (their return processingis often performed) using the same chamber by a plurality of times underdifferent conditions.

Assume that product substrates are processed in each chamber in theorder of, for example, chamber A (first process)→chamber B (secondprocess)→chamber C (third process)→chamber A (fourth process). In thiscase, return processing is often performed so that product substratesare processed in chamber A in the first process, and processed inchamber A again in the fourth process. In such return processing, whendifferent types of processing are to be performed in the first andfourth processes, processing which uses dummy substrates is necessary tocondition the atmosphere in chamber A before and after each of the firstand fourth processes.

If return processing is used as in this case, when dummy substrateprocessing for conditioning the atmosphere in chamber A is executed foreach product substrate, the number of dummy substrates increases, thusdegrading the processing efficiency.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrateprocessing technique which reduces the number of times of wasteful dummysubstrate processing even if return processing is necessary in productsubstrate processing, and is therefore excellent in processingefficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided asubstrate processing method of using a substrate processing apparatusincluding at least a first processing chamber, a second processingchamber, and a retraction chamber to execute, for a plurality ofsubstrates, a series of processing including first processing ofprocessing a substrate in the first processing chamber, secondprocessing of processing the substrate in the second processing chamberafter the first processing, and third processing of performingprocessing, different from the first processing, for the substrate inthe first processing chamber after the second processing, comprising: anexecution step of executing the first processing for the plurality ofsubstrates, and executing the second processing for the substrateshaving undergone the first processing; a recovery step of recovering theplurality of substrates having undergone the first processing and thesecond processing to the retraction chamber; a conditioning step of,after completion of the first processing for the last substrate amongthe plurality of substrates, loading a dummy substrate into the firstprocessing chamber, executing the third processing for the dummysubstrate, and unloading the dummy substrate from the first processingchamber; and a second execution step of, after the dummy substrate isunloaded from the first processing chamber in the conditioning step,loading the substrates recovered in the recovery step into the firstprocessing chamber, and executing the third processing for thesubstrates loaded into the first processing chamber.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda substrate processing apparatus which includes at least a firstprocessing chamber, a second processing chamber, a retraction chamber, atransport unit configured to transport a substrate, and a control unitconfigured to control the first processing chamber, the secondprocessing chamber, and the transport unit, and executes, for aplurality of substrates, a series of processing including firstprocessing of processing a substrate in the first processing chamber,second processing of processing the substrate in the second processingchamber after the first processing, and third processing of performingprocessing, different from the first processing, for the substrate inthe first processing chamber after the second processing, wherein thecontrol unit comprises: a processing chamber control unit configured tocontrol the first processing chamber to execute the first processing forthe plurality of substrates, and control the second processing chamberto execute the second processing for the substrates having undergone thefirst processing; and a transport control unit which controls thetransport unit to execute processing of recovering the substrates havingundergone the first processing and the second processing into theretraction chamber after execution of the second processing, andcontrols the transport unit to load a dummy substrate into the firstprocessing chamber after completion of the first processing for the lastsubstrate among the plurality of substrates, and wherein the processingchamber control unit controls the first processing chamber to executethe third processing for the dummy substrate after the dummy substrateis loaded into the first processing chamber, the transport control unitcontrols the transport unit to execute processing of unloading the dummysubstrate from the first processing chamber after completion of thethird processing for the dummy substrate, and controls the transportunit to load the recovered substrate into the first processing chamberafter the dummy substrate is unloaded from the first processing chamber,and the processing chamber control unit controls the first processingchamber to execute the third processing after the recovered substrate isloaded into the first processing chamber.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide asubstrate processing technique which reduces the number of times ofwasteful dummy substrate processing even if return processing isnecessary in product substrate processing, and is therefore excellent inprocessing efficiency.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments with reference to theattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a semiconductormanufacturing apparatus to which the present invention is applicable;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are a block diagram and a table, respectively, showingthe configuration of a control system for the semiconductormanufacturing apparatus and a process route information generationdevice;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing process division determination processing;

FIG. 4 is a view showing Example 1 of product substrate processing,dummy substrate processing, and process division when x productsubstrates are processed in each chamber in the order of chamberA→chamber B→chamber C→chamber A;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of processing of three product substrates in eachchamber in the order of chamber A→chamber B→chamber C→chamber Aaccording to the present invention;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are flowcharts of processing of three product substratesin each chamber in the order of chamber A→chamber B→chamber C→chamber Ausing a method according to a Comparative Example; and

FIGS. 7A and 7B are views showing Example 2 of product substrateprocessing, dummy substrate processing, and process division whenproduct substrates are processed in each chamber in the order of chamberA→chamber B→chamber C→chamber A→chamber B→chamber A.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a semiconductormanufacturing apparatus applicable to the present invention. Thisapparatus serves as a cluster tool apparatus. A transport chamber 51 ofthe apparatus includes transport robot arms 1 a and 1 b that serve as atransport mechanism. Processing chambers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 andload lock chambers 21 and 22 are connected to each other around thetransport chamber 51. The processing chambers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16are used to form predetermined films on the surface of a substrate. Theload lock chambers 21 and 22 are used to temporarily store substrates intransporting the substrates between the atmospheric air side and theprocessing chambers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16. Note that eachprocessing chamber may be, for example, a deposition chamber whichperforms deposition processing on a substrate by, for example, PVD orCVD, an etching chamber, a heating chamber, or a cooling chamber.

The transport chamber 51 has a polygonal column shape, as shown in FIG.1, and has its side surfaces airtightly connected to the two load lockchambers 21 and 22 and processing chambers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16via gate valves. Each of the processing chambers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and16 is a vacuum chamber including an exhaust system.

Each of the load lock chambers 21 and 22 is provided with a cassettecapable of storing a predetermined number of substrates. Load ports 41,42, 43, and 44 and auto-loaders 2 a and 2 b are provided outside theload lock chambers 21 and 22, as shown in FIG. 1. The load ports 41, 42,and 43 are arranged on the atmospheric air side and store productsubstrates. The load port 44 stores dummy substrates. The auto-loaders 2a and 2 b transport substrates between the load lock chambers 21 and 22.

The transport robot arms 1 a and 1 b provided in the transport chamber51 can pick up, one by one from the load lock chambers 21 and 22,substrates on which films are to be deposited, and transport them to theprocessing chamber 11. Also, the transport robot arms 1 a and 1 brecover, from the processing chamber 11, the substrates on which filmshave been deposited, and return them to the load lock chambers 21 and22. Each of the transport robot arms 1 a and 1 b includes a blade(substrate holding portion) which mounts and holds a substrate on itsupper surface, an articulated arm having a distal end at which thisblade is fixed, and a driving system which drives this articulated arm.The driving system often adopts a configuration which rotates thearticulated arm about the central axis of the transport chamber 51, orrectilinearly moves the overall articulated arm.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show functional blocks of an example of a control systemfor the above-mentioned semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. Thecontrol system includes a main control unit CON which controls theoperation of the overall apparatus, a processing chamber control unit 10which controls constituent elements (for example, an exhaust unit, aplasma generation unit, and a gas introduction unit) of each of theprocessing chambers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 to execute predeterminedprocessing, and a transport control unit T which controls the operationsof the transport robot arms 1 a, 1 b, 2 a, and 2 b. These control unitscan communicate with each other, and include, for example, PCs or PLCshaving a storage function and an arithmetic function with which aprogram can be executed. When an apparatus PC accepts input of transportorder information (A→B→C→A in this Example) and processing conditioninformation by the user, the transport order information and processingcondition information are stored in the storage device of the maincontrol unit CON. The main control unit CON can execute substrateprocessing by controlling, for example, the transport control unit T andprocessing chamber control unit 10 based on the transport orderinformation and processing condition information stored in the storagedevice. Note that the main control unit CON corresponds to a processroute information generation device in the present invention, andgenerates process route information based on transport order informationand processing condition information input via the apparatus PC servingas a user I/F. The transport order information specifies, for example,the order in which substrates are transported into a plurality ofprocessing chambers to process the substrates in the plurality ofprocessing chambers, as shown in FIG. 2A. Also, the processing conditioninformation specifies the substrate processing conditions in eachprocessing chamber, as shown in FIG. 2B. The process route informationspecifies the substrate transport route, including a recovery process ofretracting substrates into a retraction chamber in a series of substrateprocessing in the plurality of processing chambers, based on thetransport order information and processing condition information. As theretraction chamber, the load port 41, 42, or 43 which stores productsubstrates can be used, or the load lock chamber 21 or 22 can be usedwhen the load lock chamber 21 or 22 can store a plurality of substrates.

Process division determination processing will be described next withreference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of process divisiondetermination processing. FIG. 4 shows an Example of product substrateprocessing, control processing which uses dummy substrates, and processdivision when x product substrates are processed in each chamber in theorder of chamber A→chamber B→chamber C→chamber A. Note that the sequenceprocessing shown in FIG. 3 is executed by the main control unit CONshown in FIG. 2A.

First, in step S1, the main control unit CON initializes the processcount n for checking a chamber used, and a storage device which storesthe use count of each chamber. In step S2, the main control unit CONrefers to the transport order information (chamber A→chamber B→chamberC→chamber A in this Example) stored in the storage device of the maincontrol unit CON to check a chamber used in the nth process, therebydetermining the use count of this chamber. In step S3, the main controlunit CON determines whether the use count of the corresponding chamberis larger than one. If the use count of the corresponding chamber islarger than one, that is, if Yes is determined in step S3, the maincontrol unit CON sets the interval between the (n−1)th and nth processesas a process division position in step S4. When one process divisionposition is determined, in step S5 the main control unit CON initializesthe storage device which stores the use count of each chamber, andreturns to step S2, in which it advances determination of processdivision positions for the processes subsequent to the nth process.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3 that the use count ofthe corresponding chamber is one, in step S6 the main control unit CONincrements the process count from n to n+1, and advances the process tothe next step. If it is determined in step S7 that the process count nis equal to or smaller than the total process count (No in step S7), themain control unit CON returns the process to step S2, in which itcontinues the process division determination processing. On the otherhand, if it is determined in step S7 that the process count n is largerthan the total process count (Yes in step S7), the main control unit CONends the process division determination processing. With thisprocessing, a process division position is automatically calculated sothe same chamber is not repeatedly used, as shown in FIG. 4, within therange of the divided process. In the example shown in FIG. 4, theprocess is divided in the interval between the third and fourthprocesses.

Example 1

Example 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG. 5 is aflowchart of processing of three product substrates in each chamber inthe order of chamber A→chamber B→chamber C→chamber A according to thepresent invention. Although three product substrates are used in thisExample, the scope of the present invention is not limited to this aslong as two or more product substrates are used.

At the start of product substrate processing, the main control unit CONperforms the process division determination processing shown in FIG. 3to calculate a process division position. With this process divisiondetermination processing, the process is divided in the interval betweenthe third and fourth processes, as shown in FIG. 4, when productsubstrates are processed in each chamber in the order of chamberA→chamber B→chamber C→chamber A. After calculating a process divisionposition, the main control unit CON advances substrate processing.

The main control unit CON drives the substrate transport robot arm 2 aor 2 b shown in FIG. 1 to unload dummy substrate 1 from the load port 44shown in FIG. 1. The main control unit CON loads unloaded dummysubstrate 1 into the load lock chamber 21 or 22, shown in FIG. 1, via analigner 31 shown in FIG. 1, and then reduces the pressure in the loadlock chamber 21 or 22 into which dummy substrate 1 is loaded. Dummysubstrate 1 is unloaded by the substrate transport robot arm 1 a or 1 bshown in FIG. 1, and loaded into the processing chamber 11 (chamber A)shown in FIG. 1, and then the first process starts. After completion ofprocessing in chamber A, dummy substrate 1 is unloaded from theprocessing chamber 11 shown in FIG. 1, and returned to the originalposition in the load port 44 shown in FIG. 1. Similarly, the secondprocess is executed for dummy substrate 2 in the processing chamber 12(chamber B) shown in FIG. 1, and the third process is executed for dummysubstrate 3 in the processing chamber 13 (chamber C) shown in FIG. 1.

The main control unit CON drives the substrate transport robot arm 2 aor 2 b to unload product substrate 1 from the load port 41, 42, or 43,and load it into the load lock chamber 21 or 22, shown in FIG. 1, viathe aligner 31, and then reduces the pressure in the load lock chamber21 or 22 into which product substrate 1 is loaded. Product substrate 1is unloaded by the substrate transport robot arm 1 a or 1 b shown inFIG. 1, and loaded into the processing chamber 11 shown in FIG. 1, andthen processing in chamber A (first process) starts. After completion ofprocessing in chamber A (first process), product substrate 1 is unloadedby the substrate transport robot arm 1 a or 1 b shown in FIG. 1, andloaded into the processing chamber 12, and then processing in chamber B(second process) starts. After completion of processing in chamber B(second process), product substrate 1 is unloaded by the substratetransport robot arm 1 a or 1 b shown in FIG. 1, and loaded into theprocessing chamber 13, and then processing in chamber C (third process)starts. After completion of processing in chamber C (third process),product substrate 1 is unloaded from the processing chamber 13 shown inFIG. 1, and returned to the original position in the load port 41, 42,or 43 shown in FIG. 1. Product substrates 2 and 3 are similarlyprocessed up to the third process, and returned to the originalpositions in the load ports among the load ports 41 to 43 (retractionchambers) shown in FIG. 1. As described above, in the present invention,three product substrates are processed in each chamber in the order ofA→B→C first.

Next, processing (fourth process) different from the first processing(first process) is executed in chamber A. The processing different fromthe first processing is, for example, deposition or etching processing,and is performed under conditions different from those of the firstprocessing in the same chamber, so the atmosphere in this chamber mustbe conditioned. Prior to conditioning the atmosphere, in the case of,for example, deposition, a dummy substrate must be placed on a substrateholder so no film adheres to the substrate holder. In the case ofetching as well, a dummy substrate must be placed on a substrate holderso no film adheres to the substrate holder.

Hence, in this case, dummy substrate processing is executed as apreparation process (conditioning process) for executing the processing(fourth process) different from the first processing. A dummy substratecan be loaded at any timing as long as this is done after processing ofthe third, that is, last product substrate is completed.

More specifically, the main control unit CON actuates the substratetransport robot arm 2 a or 2 b to unload dummy substrate 4 from the loadport 44, and load it into the load lock chamber 21 or 22 via the aligner31, and then reduces the pressure in the load lock chamber 21 or 22 intowhich dummy substrate 4 is loaded. Dummy substrate 4 is unloaded by thesubstrate transport robot arm 1 a or 1 b shown in FIG. 1, and loadedinto the processing chamber 11 shown in FIG. 1, and then processing inchamber A (fourth process) starts. After completion of processing inchamber A (fourth process), dummy substrate 4 is unloaded from theprocessing chamber 11, and returned to the load port 44. Similarly,processing in chamber B (fifth process) is executed for dummy substrate5 in the processing chamber 12 shown in FIG. 1, and processing inchamber C (sixth process) is executed for dummy substrate 6 in theprocessing chamber 13 shown in FIG. 1.

The main control unit CON actuates the substrate transport robot arm 2 aor 2 b to unload dummy substrate 7 from the load port 44, and load itinto the load lock chamber 21 or 22 via the aligner 31, and then reducesthe pressure in the load lock chamber 21 or 22 into which dummysubstrate 7 is loaded. Dummy substrate 7 is unloaded by the substratetransport robot arm 1 a or 1 b, and loaded into the processing chamber11, and then processing in chamber A starts. After completion ofprocessing in chamber A, dummy substrate 7 is unloaded from theprocessing chamber 11, and returned to the load port 44 shown in FIG. 1.

Next, processing in chamber A, that is, the first process, processing inchamber B, that is, the second process, and processing in chamber C,that is, the third process are executed, and the fourth processdifferent from the first process is executed for three, temporarilyretracted product substrates 1, 2, and 3 in chamber A. That is, the maincontrol unit CON actuates the substrate transport robot arm 2 a or 2 bto unload product substrate 1 from the load port 41, 42, or 43, and loadit into the load lock chamber 21 or 22 via the aligner 31, and thenreduces the pressure in the load lock chamber 21 or 22 into whichproduct substrate 1 is loaded. Product substrate 1 loaded into the loadlock chamber 21 or 22 is unloaded by the substrate transport robot arm 1a or 1 b shown in FIG. 1, and loaded into the processing chamber 11shown in FIG. 1, and then processing in chamber A (fourth process)starts. After completion of processing in chamber A (fourth process),product substrate 1 is unloaded from the processing chamber 11 shown inFIG. 1, and returned to the original position in the load port among theload ports 41 to 43 shown in FIG. 1. Similarly, the fourth process isexecuted for product substrates 2 and 3 in chamber A, and these productsubstrates 2 and 3 are returned to the original positions in the loadports among the load ports 41 to 43 shown in FIG. 1.

The main control unit CON actuates the substrate transport robot arm 2 aor 2 b to unload dummy substrate 8 from the load port 44, and load itinto the load lock chamber 21 or 22 via the aligner 31, and then reducesthe pressure in the load lock chamber 21 or 22 into which dummysubstrate 8 is loaded. Dummy substrate 8 is unloaded by the substratetransport robot arm 1 a or 1 b, and loaded into the processing chamber11, and then processing in chamber A starts. After completion ofprocessing in chamber A, dummy substrate 8 is unloaded from theprocessing chamber 11, and returned to the load port 44.

As described above, according to the present invention, when returnprocessing is necessary, a plurality of product substrates are processedup to a process precedent to the return processing, and dummy substratesare processed before and after this processing. This makes it possibleto reduce the number of dummy substrates to be processed, thus improvingthe processing efficiency.

For the sake of comparison, a substrate processing method according to aComparative Example will be described below with reference to FIGS. 6Aand 6B. FIGS. 6A and 6B are flowcharts for explaining a sequence ofprocessing three product substrates in each chamber in the order ofchamber A→chamber B→chamber C→chamber A using a method according to theComparative Example.

In this method, first, the main control unit CON drives the substratetransport robot arm 2 a or 2 b to unload dummy substrate 1 from the loadport 44. The main control unit CON loads unloaded dummy substrate 1 intothe load lock chamber 21 or 22 via the aligner 31, and then reduces thepressure in the load lock chamber 21 or 22 into which dummy substrate 1is loaded. Dummy substrate 1 is unloaded by the substrate transportrobot arm 1 a or 1 b, and loaded into the processing chamber 11 (chamberA), and then the first process starts. After completion of processing inchamber A, dummy substrate 1 is unloaded from the processing chamber 11,and returned to the original position in the load port 44. Similarly,the second process is executed for dummy substrate 2 in the processingchamber 12 (chamber B), and the third process is executed for dummysubstrate 3 in the processing chamber 13 (chamber C).

The main control unit CON processes product substrate 1 in each chamberin the order of chamber A→chamber B→chamber C, and processes dummysubstrates 4 and 7 in chamber A. The main control unit CON drives thesubstrate transport robot arm 2 a or 2 b to load product substrate 1from chamber C into chamber A, and performs processing, different fromthe first processing in chamber A, for product substrate 1 in chamber A.The main control unit CON processes dummy substrates 8 and 1 in chamberA.

The main control unit CON processes product substrate 2 in each chamberin the order of chamber A→chamber B→chamber C, and processes dummysubstrates 4 and 7 in chamber A. The main control unit CON drives thesubstrate transport robot arm 2 a or 2 b to load product substrate 2from chamber C into chamber A, and performs processing, different fromthe first processing in chamber A, for product substrate 2 in chamber A.The main control unit CON processes dummy substrates 8 and 1 in chamberA.

The main control unit CON processes product substrate 3 in each chamberin the order of chamber A→chamber B→chamber C, and processes dummysubstrates 4 and 7 in chamber A. The main control unit CON drives thesubstrate transport robot arm 2 a or 2 b to load product substrate 3from chamber C into chamber A, and performs processing, different fromthe first processing in chamber A, for product substrate 3 in chamber A.

Dummy substrate 8 is unloaded by the substrate transport robot arm 1 aor 1 b, and loaded into the processing chamber 11 (chamber A), and thenthe first process starts. After completion of processing in chamber A,dummy substrate 8 is unloaded from the processing chamber 11, andreturned to the original position in the load port 44. Similarly, thesecond process is executed for dummy substrate 5 in the processingchamber 12 (chamber B), and the third process is executed for dummysubstrate 6 in the processing chamber 13 (chamber C).

In this manner, in the substrate processing method according to theComparative Example, when return processing is necessary, dummysubstrate processing is executed for each product substrate. Thisincreases the number of dummy substrates to be processed, thus degradingthe processing efficiency, compared to the substrate processingaccording to the present invention.

As described above, according to the present invention, when returnprocessing is necessary, a plurality of product substrates are processedup to a process precedent to the return processing, and dummy substratesare processed before and after this processing. This makes it possibleto reduce the number of dummy substrates to be processed, thus greatlyimproving the processing efficiency, compared to the conventionalmethod.

Note that the time in which processing which uses a dummy substrate isperformed is not always limited to the above-mentioned time, and thepresent invention is also applicable when, for example, conditioningprocessing which uses a dummy substrate is performed immediately aftercompletion of the first process. As shown in FIG. 4, when the presentinvention is applied, chambers which require return processing are usedwhile being kept idle only for a short period of time, thus improvingthe processing efficiency.

Example 2

FIGS. 7A and 7B show Examples of product substrate processing, dummysubstrate processing, and process division when product substrates areprocessed in each chamber in the order of chamber A→chamber B→chamberC→chamber A→chamber B→chamber A. This Example provides an example inwhich return processing is executed a plurality of times.

At the start of product substrate processing, a main control unit CONperforms the process division determination processing shown in FIG. 3to calculate a process division position. In this Example, with thisprocess division determination processing, the process is divided in theintervals between two sets of processes, that is, the interval betweenthe third and fourth processes, and that between the fifth and sixthprocesses, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. After calculating processdivision positions, the main control unit CON advances substrateprocessing in the same way as described above. In this manner, even ifreturn processing is executed a plurality of times, it is possible tocalculate a plurality of process division positions and advancesubstrate processing.

In the above-mentioned Examples, product substrates processed halfwayare returned to the original positions in the load ports 41 to 43 shownin FIG. 1. However, when the load lock chamber 21 or 22 shown in FIG. 1can store a plurality of substrates, the product substrates can bereturned to the load lock chamber 21 or 22 (corresponding to theretraction chamber in this Example) shown in FIG. 1, instead ofreturning them to the original positions in the load ports 41 to 43shown in FIG. 1. At this time, dummy substrates are transported tochambers via the load lock chamber 21 or 22 shown in FIG. 1, whichstores no product substrates. At this time, the product substrates canbe processed without being exposed to the atmospheric pressure halfwaythrough the process.

Other Embodiments

Aspects of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of asystem or apparatus (or devices such as a CPU or MPU) that reads out andexecutes a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functionsof the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method, the steps ofwhich are performed by a computer of a system or apparatus by, forexample, reading out and executing a program recorded on a memory deviceto perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s). For thispurpose, the program is provided to the computer for example via anetwork or from a recording medium of various types serving as thememory device (for example, computer-readable medium).

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2010-292112, filed Dec. 28, 2010, and Japanese Patent Application No.2011-269375, filed Dec. 8, 2011, which are hereby incorporated byreference herein in their entirety.

1. A substrate processing method of using a substrate processingapparatus including at least a first processing chamber, a secondprocessing chamber, and a retraction chamber to execute, for a pluralityof substrates, a series of processing including first processing ofprocessing a substrate in the first processing chamber, secondprocessing of processing the substrate in the second processing chamberafter the first processing, and third processing of performingprocessing, different from the first processing, for the substrate inthe first processing chamber after the second processing, comprising: anexecution step of executing the first processing for the plurality ofsubstrates, and executing the second processing for the substrateshaving undergone the first processing; a recovery step of recovering theplurality of substrates having undergone the first processing and thesecond processing to the retraction chamber; a conditioning step of,after completion of the first processing for the last substrate amongthe plurality of substrates, loading a dummy substrate into the firstprocessing chamber, executing the third processing for the dummysubstrate, and unloading the dummy substrate from the first processingchamber; and a second execution step of, after the dummy substrate isunloaded from the first processing chamber in the conditioning step,loading the substrates recovered in the recovery step into the firstprocessing chamber, and executing the third processing for thesubstrates loaded into the first processing chamber.
 2. The methodaccording to claim 1, further comprising: an input step of acceptinginput of transport order information which specifies an order in whichthe substrates are transported into a plurality of processing chambersto process the substrates in the plurality of processing chambers, andprocessing condition information which specifies a substrate processingcondition in each of the plurality of processing chambers; and ageneration step of generating process route information which specifiesa substrate transport route, including a recovery process of retractingthe substrates into the retraction chamber in the series of processing,from the transport order information and the processing conditioninformation which are accepted in the input step, wherein in therecovery step, processing of recovering the substrates into theretraction chamber is executed in accordance with the process routeinformation generated in the generation step.
 3. A substrate processingapparatus which includes at least a first processing chamber, a secondprocessing chamber, a retraction chamber, a transport unit configured totransport a substrate, and a control unit configured to control thefirst processing chamber, the second processing chamber, and thetransport unit, and executes, for a plurality of substrates, a series ofprocessing including first processing of processing a substrate in thefirst processing chamber, second processing of processing the substratein the second processing chamber after the first processing, and thirdprocessing of performing processing, different from the firstprocessing, for the substrate in the first processing chamber after thesecond processing, wherein the control unit comprises: a processingchamber control unit configured to control the first processing chamberto execute the first processing for the plurality of substrates, andcontrol the second processing chamber to execute the second processingfor the substrates having undergone the first processing; and atransport control unit which controls the transport unit to executeprocessing of recovering the substrates having undergone the firstprocessing and the second processing into the retraction chamber afterexecution of the second processing, and controls the transport unit toload a dummy substrate into the first processing chamber aftercompletion of the first processing for the last substrate among theplurality of substrates, and wherein said processing chamber controlunit controls the first processing chamber to execute the thirdprocessing for the dummy substrate after the dummy substrate is loadedinto the first processing chamber, said transport control unit controlsthe transport unit to execute processing of unloading the dummysubstrate from the first processing chamber after completion of thethird processing for the dummy substrate, and controls the transportunit to load the recovered substrate into the first processing chamberafter the dummy substrate is unloaded from the first processing chamber,and said processing chamber control unit controls the first processingchamber to execute the third processing after the recovered substrate isloaded into the first processing chamber.
 4. The method according toclaim 3, further comprising: an input unit configured to accept input oftransport order information which specifies an order in which thesubstrates are transported into a plurality of processing chambers toprocess the substrates in the plurality of processing chambers, andprocessing condition information which specifies a substrate processingcondition in each of the plurality of processing chambers; and ageneration unit configured to generate process route information whichspecifies a substrate transport route, including a recovery process ofretracting the substrates into the retraction chamber in the series ofprocessing, from the transport order information and the processingcondition information which are accepted by said input unit, whereinsaid transport control unit executes processing of recovering thesubstrates into the retraction chamber, in accordance with the processroute information generated by said generation unit.